Doctrine

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES:

We believe and teach that the sixty-six books of the Holy Scriptures are literally the Word of God.  The Holy Spirit moved through godly men to record exactly what God wanted to reveal, so that their words carry the authority of God Himself.^[1]  Therefore, the Scriptures are the only authoritative and sufficient standard for all matters of godliness, faith, practice, and doctrine through all generations.^[2] The Bible is the only source of objective truth from God,^[3] and its original documents, both in part and in whole, are inerrant and infallible.^[4] The meaning of Scripture is to be found by applying the literal-grammatical-historical method of interpretation under the illumination of the Holy Spirit.^[5] This means that the Bible is to be interpreted literally, taking into account the historical context in which it was written, and by submitting to the original languages and proper rules of grammar and sentence structure.

GOD:

We believe and teach that there is but one living and true God,^[6] perfect in all His attributes, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.^[7]  Though separate in identity and function, these three are one in purpose and substance, sharing the same divine nature (self-existent,^[8] eternal,^[9] omnipotent,^[10] omniscient,^[11] and omnipresent^[12]) and character (being perfectly holy,^[13] just,^[14] good,^[15] gracious^[16]).  

God is the Creator of all things^[17] who formed the heavens and earth out of nothing (ex nihilo) by His spoken word^[18] in six literal twenty-four hour days. 

GOD THE FATHER:

We believe and teach that God the Father is sovereign in creation and redemption.  He is the absolute ruler of the universe who governs, upholds, and directs all creatures and events.^[19]  Though sovereign, He is not the author of sin, nor does He approve of evil;^[20] neither does He deprive nor diminish the will and accountability of moral, intelligent creatures.^[21]  God the Father is full of compassion and active in salvation, having sent His only Son to die for sinners, and graciously calling lost ones to Himself.^[22] 

Before the foundation of the world, God graciously elected some people to regenerate, save, and sanctify.^[23] All the elect will come to Him, and none will depart or be lost.^[24] There is no one like God, and He rightly deserves all glory, honor and praise.^[25]    

GOD THE SON:

 We believe and teach that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man.^[26]  In the miracle of the incarnation, the second Person of the Trinity took on full and complete human nature, including a physical body, while giving up none of His divine essence, either in degree or kind.  He was conceived by the Holy Spirit,^[27] born of a virgin,^[28] lived a perfect life here on earth,^[29] and then willingly laid down His life as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind.  His Resurrection from the grave on the third day proved that His offering was accepted by the Father, guaranteed a future resurrection to life for all who believe in Him, and thereby conquered both sin and death.^[30]  Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father, and He now serves as our compassionate High Priest, Mediator, and Advocate.^[31]  Soon He will return as a conquering King^[32] to establish His reign on earth, at which point every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.^[33]

We believe and teach that the Bible clearly articulates and exalts Jesus Christ as mankind’s only hope and path to God and the salvation for one’s soul.^[34]

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT:

We believe and teach that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.  He assisted in creation,^[35] moved men to write God’s revealed Word,^[36] and facilitated the Incarnation.^[37]  Today, it is the Holy Spirit who manifests the active presence of God in the world, and especially in the church.  He convicts the world of sin and judgment,^[38] draws and transforms the elect through the miracle of regeneration,^[39] and permanently indwells and enables believers in the process of sanctification.^[40]  The Holy Spirit assures believers of their status as children of God^[41] and is the pledge and guarantee of their salvation and future inheritance.^[42]  He assists believers in their prayers,^[43] helps them to understand the Scriptures,^[44] and imparts love,^[45] hope,^[46] comfort,^[47] and joy.^[48]  The Holy Spirit gives each believer spiritual gifts for the edification of the saints in order that they might build up the body of Christ.^[49]  He is the Spirit of Truth^[50] who keeps the church from error^[51] and empowers the preaching of the Word.^[52]  While assisting our understanding of Scripture, He does not add any revelation beyond the written Word of God.^[53]

MAN:

We believe and teach that man was directly created by God apart from any process of evolution, and in no sense descended from animal ancestry, but was uniquely made in the image of God.^[54]  Man (i.e., Adam and Eve) was originally created without sin, but became corrupted by personal disobedience to the revealed will of God.  Scripture teaches that all men were in Adam, thus all men—with the sole exception of Jesus Christ—have inherited a nature corrupted by Adam’s original sin.  All men are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration.^[55]  Man’s sin has alienated him from the life and family of God,^[56] and places him under God’s righteous judgment and wrath.^[57]  In himself, man is utterly incapable of achieving reconciliation with God.^[58]

We believe and teach that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image of God,^[59] and rejection of one's biological sex is a rejection of the image of God and His purposes for one's life.

Sexual intimacy is a gift from God to be exclusively enjoyed within the covenant of marriage, which is biblically defined as the lifelong union between one man and one woman.^[60]  Any sexual act outside the bonds of marriage as defined in the previous sentence (including, but not limited to, adultery, fornication, and homosexuality) is sinful and forbidden by God.^[61]         

SALVATION:

We believe and teach that salvation is a gift of God.^[62]  Despite the sinfulness of mankind, God mercifully loves and desires all men to be saved by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ.^[63] This gift was made possible by the death of Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice who died as our substitute to appease the wrath of God and offer us forgiveness of sins.^[64]  Christ’s one offering on the cross was perfectly and permanently effective to remove the sins of all believers for all time.^[65]  This gift is received when the Holy Spirit draws a person to faith in Jesus Christ^[66] and repentance from a life of sin.^[67]  At the moment of salvation, several transformative, irreversible changes occur in the new believer: The Holy Spirit causes him to be born again^[68] and gives him a new nature,^[69] he is freed from sin and death and is given eternal life, he is declared righteous before God, his sins are imputed to Christ and Christ’s righteousness is imputed to him, and he is adopted into the very family of God. Every believer enjoys union with Christ, and is accepted as Christ is accepted and loved as Christ is loved, sharing in His inheritance, and one with Him forever.^[70] 

All of these blessings are given by grace alone through faith alone.  No degree of moral reformation, no sacrament, no ordinance, no family legacy can move the sinner even one step toward heaven.  There is no act of repentance, no feeling, no faith, no good resolutions, no sincere efforts, no baptism, no submission to the rules and ordinances of any church, that can in any way, in even the least degree, add to the value and merit of the finished work of Christ on the cross.^[71] Only by being born again can one obtain salvation and thus become a child of God.^[72]

SANCTIFICATION:

 We believe and teach that every believer experiences both positional and progressive sanctification.  At the moment of salvation, the believer is sanctified (set apart) unto God, declared holy, and identified as a saint.^[73] This positional sanctification is instantaneous and defines our perfect standing in Jesus Christ before God.^[74]  Progressive sanctification is the process by which the Holy Spirit brings the believer ever closer to the likeness of Christ through increasing obedience to the Word of God.^[75]  This continual transformation will not be brought to completion until the believer sees the Lord face to face and shall be “like Him,”^[76] fully sanctified and glorified.  Nonetheless, this process will be evident in some measure in the life of every believer.^[77]

 PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS:

 We believe and teach that all true believers are kept by God’s power and will persevere as Christians until the end of their lives.^[78]  God promises that He will lose none whom He has called unto salvation, and that nothing can separate us from His love.^[79]  Therefore He has sealed every believer with the Holy Spirit, who is a pledge of our future inheritance until the day of Christ Jesus.^[80]  The Holy Spirit remains active in us to ensure that the work begun at salvation will be brought to completion on the day when we stand before God. ^[81]  Those who fail to persevere in faith demonstrate that they were never truly born again.^[82]  True saints persevere in their faith not because of what they do, but because of what God does in them.

THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH:     

We believe and teach that the universal church is comprised of all true believers from all time.  Regardless of membership or non-membership in the organized churches on earth, all true believers are part of the universal church.  Different and distinct from Israel, the church began at Pentecost.^[83]  Jesus Christ is the head of the church, which is His body and bride,^[84] and at the moment of conversion, each saint is baptized by the Holy Spirit, being placed into this body.^[85]  Sharing one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, our unity transcends all social^[86] and ethnic^[87] barriers, and we ought to rise above all sectarian differences and pursue the perfect bond of peace.  God desires that all believers fervently love and care for one another as a spiritual family.^[88] 

THE LOCAL CHURCH:

We believe and teach that the local church is an independent, self-governing body of Spirit-baptized believers.  God commissions the local church to proclaim the gospel, make disciples of all nations, ^[89] equip the saints for the work of ministry,^[90] and in all these things give all glory to God.^[91]  It is the responsibility of the local church to meet faithfully for worship, teaching, prayer, fellowship and accountability,^[92] and the keeping of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  Each member is expected to give of their time, talents,^[93] and resources^[94] to build up their local church.  The local church is responsible to look after the spiritual welfare of its members, always seeking to restore and—if necessary—discipline those who continue in unrepentant sin.^[95]  God calls the local church to be a pillar and foundation of the truth,^[96] guarding the doctrine entrusted to us by the Holy Spirit.^[97]  He has appointed pastors/elders/overseers^[98] to serve as under-shepherds until the Chief Shepherd returns,^[99] as well as deacons^[100] to assist these under-shepherds in the work of the ministry.  Though not officially affiliated with other local bodies, we value the fellowship of other churches of like faith and order.

BAPTISM:

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted the ordinances of water baptism and the Lord's Table to be observed by all believers until His return.  Baptism symbolizes the work of the Holy Spirit, identifying the believer with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.^[101]  Though not a means of salvation or grace, baptism is an important act of obedience whereby a believer makes a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ.  Christ commanded all believers to be baptized and this was the practice of the New Testament church.  We practice the ordinance of baptism by immersion after conversion.^[102]

THE LORD’S SUPPER:

 We believe and teach that the Lord's Supper was instituted to help the church remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  Christ Himself established this ordinance on the eve of His crucifixion, and commands us to continue practicing it until He returns.^[103]  The Lord’s Supper is a corporate act in which believers partake together of the bread and the cup, symbolizing the broken body and shed blood of Christ, and is the highlight of corporate worship.  The Lord's Supper reminds us of the basis of our fellowship with Him, promotes an atmosphere of thankfulness in the church, and heightens our anticipation of His second coming.  Each believer is responsible to partake of the bread and the cup in a worthy manner.^[104] 

 SATAN, ANGELS, AND DEMONS:

We believe and teach the personal existence of angels^[105]and demons.^[106]  Angels are spirit beings^[107] who were created to worship God and minister to believers.^[108]  All angels were at one time holy, but when Satan rebelled one-third of the angels fell with him.^[109]  Fallen angels are called demons or evil spirits and will be judged along with Satan and thrown into the lake of fire.^[110]  We are able to resist and overcome them only in the armor of God and by the blood of the Lamb.^[111]

DOCTRINE OF LAST THINGS:

1.      The Promises to Israel

We believe and teach that Israel has a distinct and special future in God's redemptive plan.  The unconditional promises God made to the nation of Israel have not been nullified, nor have they been transferred solely to the Church.  The Abrahamic, Davidic, and New covenants will be fulfilled as promised to Israel.^[112]

2.      The Kingdom

We believe and teach that there has always existed a universal kingdom of God,^[113] and that believers are kingdom saints who now serve Christ, their King, as aliens, strangers, and ambassadors on this earth.^[114]  In the future, there will be a literal, earthly kingdom of Christ.^[115]

3.      The Church Age

We believe and teach that we are living in the Church age, a time where God is offering the kingdom primarily to the Gentiles.^[116]  The Church age began at Pentecost^[117] and will end at the rapture of the Church.

4.      The Rapture

We believe and teach that the rapture will take place imminently and unexpectedly, like a thief in the night, at the end of the church age, and that all the saints, both dead and alive, will be caught up in the air to be forever with the Lord.^[118]

5.      The Tribulation

We believe and teach that before Christ comes to establish His reign on earth, there will be a seven-year period of tribulation.^[119]  The judgments of the tribulation, especially the last half, will be supernatural and unmistakable to all.^[120] The tribulation period will close when Christ bodily returns to earth,^[121] binds Satan^[122] and sets up His literal earthly kingdom.

6.      The Second Coming

We believe and teach a pre-millennial view of the kingdom in which Jesus Christ will come back bodily to earth to set up a literal thousand-year kingdom and rule from Jerusalem.^[123] At the end of the thousand years Satan will be loosed and deceive the nations,^[124] bringing God's final Great White Throne judgment.^[125]

1. Heaven and Hell

We believe and teach that all mankind will end up in one of two eternal destinies: heaven or the lake of fire.^[126]  It is appointed for all men to die once and then be judged.^[127]  All unbelievers will appear before the Great White Throne to be judged according to their deeds.^[128]  Those who reject Christ and refuse to submit to Him as both Lord and Savior will suffer conscious torment in the lake of fire forever.^[129]  Those who have repented of their sins and placed their faith in Jesus Christ will enjoy perfect happiness in heaven for all eternity, and receive rewards in accordance with their faithful service on earth.^[130]

1. Future Life of the Believer

We believe and teach that at death the spirits and souls of those who trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence.^[131]  There they remain in conscious bliss until the Rapture, when they will receive their glorified resurrection bodies.^[132]  

We understand that this document is not an exhaustive expression of our doctrine, for we believe and teach the whole counsel of Scripture.  This is not designed to set limits on doctrinal exploration and understanding, but is rather a brief summary of the sound doctrine taught in the Scriptures.  As Elders of Flint Hills Bible Church it is our duty to teach, promote, and defend these doctrines for the glory and honor of God.^[133]  

1] 2 Peter 1:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:16

[2] Psalm 19:7-11; Psalm 33:11; Romans 15:4;  2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:3-8; 19

[3] 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 1:1-2; Jude 3

[4] Psalm 119:160; 2 Timothy 3:16

[5] John 7:17; 14:26; 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:7-15; 1 John 2:20

[6] Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; 1 Corinthians 8:4

[7] Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14

[8] Exodus 3:1-15; Isaiah 40:12-31; Psalm 115:3; Isaiah 46:9-11; Daniel 4:35; Romans 11:33-34; 1 Timothy 6:13-16; John 5:26; John 6:15-21; Revelation 1:8

[9] Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 90:2; 102:25-27; Isaiah 9:6; 44:6; 57:15; Habukkuk 1:12; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 9:14; Revelation 1:8, 18

[10] Psalm 115:2, Isaiah 40:15; Jeremiah. 32:27; Matthew. 19:26; Hebrews 1:3

[11] Psalm 139:1-6, 13-16;  Isaiah 40:13-14, 46:9-10; 1 John 3:20;

[12] Psalm 139:7-10; Jeremiah 23:23-24

[13] Psalm 99:9; Isaiah 5:16, 6:1-3; 1 Peter 1:15; Revelation 4:8

[14] Deuteronomy 32:4; Job 34:12; Isaiah 30:18, 45:21; Revelation 16:7

[15] Psalm 25:8; Psalm 119:68

[16] Exodus 34:6; Psalm 116:5; John 1:14; Titus 2:11

[17] Genesis 1:1-31; Ephesians 3:9

[18] Genesis 1:1-31; Exodus 20:11; Hebrews 11:3; Psalm 33:6; 148:1-5

[19] 1 Chronicles 29:11; Psalm 103:19, 83:18; Daniel 4:17; Revelation 5:13; 1 Timothy 1:17; Matthew 6:13b

[20] Proverbs 15:9; Habakkuk 1:13; John 8:38-47; 1 John 1:5

[21] 1 Peter 1:17

[22] Revelation 5:9; Romans 8:29-30; Acts 10:34-43; Romans 3:29-30; Deuteronomy 10:17

[23] Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10; 1 Peter 1:1-2

[24] John 6:37-40, 44, 10:28

[25] Romans 11:33-36

[26] Isaiah 9:6; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; John 1:1, 14, 18; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 2:9

[27] Luke 1:35

[28] Matthew 1:23

[29] 1 Peter 1:19; Hebrews 2:10, 4:15, 5:9, 7:28

[30] John 5:26-29, 14:19; Romans 1:4, 4:25, 6:5-10; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23

[31]Psalm 110; Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:38-39; Acts 2:30-33; Romans 4:25, 8:34; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews   7:23-28; 9:24; 1 John 2:1

[32] Revelation 19:11-16

[33] Philippians 2:10-11

[34] John 10:7-9, 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5

[35] Genesis 1:2

[36] Zechariah 7:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21

[37] Matthew 1:18

[38] John 16:8

[39] Ezekiel 36:27; John 3:5-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-7; Galatians 5:16; Titus 3:5

[40] 1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:13-14; Ephesians 1:15-18; 3:14-21; 2 Thessalonians 2:13

[41] Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6

[42] 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30

[43] Romans 8:26; Jude 1:20

[44] 1 Corinthians 2:10-16; 1 John 2:20, 27

[45] Romans 5:3-5

[46] Romans 5:5; 15:13; Galatians 5:5

[47] Acts 9:31

[48] Acts 13:52; Romans 14:17; 15:13 Galatians 5:22; 1 Thessalonians 1:6

[49] Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

[50] John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13; 1 John 5:6-7

[51] Acts 15:28; Acts 9:31; John 14:16-17; 1 John 2:27

[52] Acts 4:8, 31; 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 1 Peter 1:12

[53] Ephesians 2:18-20; Revelation 22:18-19

[54] Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7; 18-24; Matthew 19:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:23

[55] Psalm 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18; 23; 5:10-12

[56] Ephesians 4:18; John 8:42-44

[57] Romans 3:19; 1:18

[58] Isaiah 64:6; Mark 7:21-23; Matthew 19:26; Romans 7:18

[59] Genesis 1:26-27

[60] Gen. 2:22-24, Prov. 5:18-19

[61] 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

[62] Ephesians 2:5, 8-9

[63] Ezekiel 18:23, 31; 1 Timothy 2:4

[64] John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-9

[65] Isaiah 53:11; John 19:30; Hebrews 1:3, 9:25-28, 10:11-18

[66] Romans 10:9-10

[67] Matthew 4:17; Mark 6:12; Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 3:19

[68] John 3:3-7

[69] 2 Corinthians 5;17; Titus 3:5

[70] John 5:24; 17:23; Acts 13:39; Romans 5:1; 1 Corinthians 3:21-23; Ephesians 1:3; Colossians 2:10; 2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 4:17; 5:11-12

[71] John 19:30

[72] Leviticus 17:11; Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 26:28; John 3:5, 18; Romans 5:6-9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:4-9; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:18-19, 23

[73] 1 Corinthians 1:2

[74] John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 1: 30; 6:11;  Hebrews 2:11; 10:10, 14; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:3

[75] Romans 6:19, 22; 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:10; 1 Peter 2:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

[76] 1 John 3:1-3

[77] Matthew 7:16-23

[78] John 6:37-39, 10:28-29; Romans 8:39

[79] Romans 8:38-39

[80] 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30

[81] Philippians 1:6; Colossians 1:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

[82] Colossians 1:23; 1 John 2:19

[83] Acts 2; Romans 11:1-24

[84] 1 Corinthians 12:4-5, 27; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:15-16, 5:23-25; Revelation 19:7-8

[85] 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 2:11-16, 4:4-6

[86] Colossians 3:11

[87] Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:11-18

[88] Romans 12:10; Colossians 3:14-15

[89] Matthew 28:18-20

[90] Ephesians 4:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:17

[91] Ephesians 3:20-21

[92] Acts 2:41-47; Hebrews 10:24-25

[93] Romans 12:5-8; 1 Peter 4:10

[94] 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

[95] Matthew 18:10-20; Galatians 6:1

[96] 1 Timothy 3:15

[97] 1 Timothy 4:16, 6:20; Jude 3

[98] 1Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9

[99] 1 Peter 5:1-3

[100] 1 Timothy 3:8-10, 12-13

[101] Romans 6:4-7

[102] Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38-44; 10:33, 43, 47, 48; Romans 6:3-7; Colossians 2:12

[103] Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26

[104] Luke 22:7-38; 1 Corinthians 11:20-34

[105] Luke 22:43

[106] Luke 8:26-39

[107] Nehemiah 9:6; Colossians 1:16

[108] Hebrews 1:14; Revelation 7:11-12

[109] Revelation 12:3-4

[110] Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10

[111] Ephesians 6:12-18; Revelation 12:11

[112] Genesis 15:1-21; 17:4-8, 13, 19; 22:18; 1 Chronicles 17:1-15; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 11

[113] Psalm 29:10; 74:12; 145:13

[114] 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; 1 Peter 1:1, 2:11

[115]Isaiah 2:2-4; 24:23; Daniel 2:44; Zechariah 14:9

[116] Matthew 21:43; Romans 11:25-29

[117] Acts 2

[118] 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 5:2; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; Titus 2:13

[119] Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24; Revelation 6-19

[120] Revelation 6-19

[121] Zechariah 14:4, 9; Acts 1:11

[122] Revelation 20:1-2

[123] Isaiah 2:2-4; Zechariah 14:3-4; Acts 1:9-12; Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-7

[124] Revelation 20:3

[125] Revelation 20:7-9

[126] Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:28-29

[127] Hebrews 9:27

[128] Revelation 20:11-15

[129] Matthew 13:42; Mark 9:47-48; Luke 16:24; 12:5; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10; Revelation 14:11; 20:10, 15

[130] Matthew 24:45-47; 25:21-23; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; Romans 8:18; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Revelation 22:5

[131] 2 Corinthians 5:8

[132] 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

[133] Acts 20:28-30; 1 Timothy 5:17; 1 Peter 5:1-2.